A Moonlight NC-17 Fanfic
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR – "100 Years, More or Less"
The next day, there was a knock at the door. Mick and Beth had decided to hole up in their little Fort Knox until they had a plan to keep both of them safe from the threats outside of their door.
Beth jumped at the sound, and in a second, Mick was at the door, looking at the monitor. It was Ben Talbot. He opened the door and motioned the man inside. Ben walked into their reinforced bunker, no windows visible, no possible port of entry except the doors, which were nearly impervious to any attempt at a break-in.
Mick ushered him to the couch and Beth came and sat down in the circle.
"So, Talbot," Mick asked, "Have you found anything out yet?" He was sitting forward on the chair, showing some anxiety over what Talbot knew about their dangerous situation, and figured the man wouldn't be here on a Sunday morning if something new hadn't come up!
"Actually, I have. That's why I'm here." He looked at both of them and felt their concern. He also noticed that they looked a little disheveled. Even Mick, who normally looked the same no matter what time of day or night you caught him, had shadows under his eyes, and looked as if he needed a good meal. Ben supposed it could be from his imprisonment, but Beth looked absolutely and thoroughly ravished! Her hair, though combed, was wild, as if she had slept on it wet, and her lips were so swollen he wondered if she'd had collagen injections. He thought not. She also sported a pretty raw-looking whisker burn around her mouth and on her cheeks, visible because she wore no makeup that Ben could see. Even so, she looked more beautiful than ever, as if she had just awakened in the arms of her lover.
Oh man! He needed to get a hold of his thoughts! At least she was dressed! He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind, but waking with Beth in his arms, looking like she did. . .any mortal man would be roused with that thought!
"So are you going to tell us what you know, Ben?" she asked logically, jarring him back to reality.
He cleared his throat and swallowed the lump down there. "Well, apparently this abduction was not sanctioned by the Legion. It was done by a faction that considers itself to be an authority, but It's not officially part of the Legion. This group broke off a few years ago and now have their own radical organization, but their aim is to become a 'branch' of the Legion—they want to be the ones in charge of bringing in the criminals, and this stunt was to try to prove that they could do the job. Apparently they decided on their own to gather up as many people on the List as they could, with the intent to put you through some sort of inquisition and sentence you to who knows what! It's a good thing you escaped! I guess they thought this abduction would impress the powerful people enough to hire them as the Legion 'police,' if you want to try to put them in a category. I think all they've done is prove how inadequate they are function in any capacity for the Legion. I hear the Legion is very upset with them."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that! I didn't think the Legion would be so unprofessional that they'd nearly kill me before they got me into custody! I mean, I was about as close to death as it's possible to be and still come back from it! They almost killed me without any inquisition!" Beth reached for his hand and he caught hers in his. Ben tried not to look at the small gesture of love and caring.
"I know. I heard all about that. I'm really glad you and Josef got out okay. I've made it clear to the Legion that they, and any off-shoot group of theirs, do not have the right to abduct citizens of our community, and that if I find any untoward activity going on, they will be reprimanded by the justice system. I think they get it, and they are being cooperative—they assure me they'll take care of these perpetrators in their own way."
"But Josef and I are still on this "list," and I don't know what that means for me in the long run!" Mick was obviously concerned.
"I think I do. They usually convene a Tribunal once a year, as you know." Mick nodded. He had been to those meetings, and his stomach grew a knot when he thought about some of the things he had seen.
Ben continued, "This year, the meeting will take place in January on the night of the full moon—I believe that's January 26 of 2009. They will send out notices to the people on the list who will be summoned to their assembly, and they will question you and allow you to answer their inquiries."
"Well, that still worries me—I'm not sure what they have on me to complain about." Mick looked at Beth and she wore a look of fear. He squeezed her hand. "At least we have until January to go about our business as usual. Can we modify our reinforced bunker here so we get to have windows again?"
"That would be my advice. Go about your lives as normally as possible for now—January—well—we'll have to see what happens. Oh—I was also told that for this yearly Tribunal, there would be a person of high ranking to oversee the entire meeting. I have no idea who they mean, but they are convinced this is a, um, person--who is old, wise and able to handle any problems in your, um, Vampire Nation, I guess they call it."
"I hope you're right, Mick said quietly." 'January,' he thought. Well, by that time, the baby should be almost here. His priority was to keep Beth and his baby safe, and if he had to leave them in January, he would have almost completed his job.
"Well, that's about it. I'm looking forward to having Beth back at work again. Tomorrow is Monday and I was hoping you'd feel up to coming back." He looked at her with an uncharacteristically tender look, and Mick picked up on it.
"I'll see that she gets there—as long as you see that she's safe at your office, Talbot. I'm counting on you to watch her when I can't. You haven't seen or heard a thing about Coraline, I take it?"
"Not one thing, I'm sorry to say."
"She's the threat to Beth. I don't worry about the Legion as far as she's concerned, and I'll take care of myself. I can't let Coraline near her, though. If it's at all possible she could get to Beth, then I'm afraid she won't be coming back to work after all."
Ben looked at Mick a little defensively. "I'll see that she's safe. I'll arrange for extra security for her, and we do have monitors in every corner of the building. I'll distribute Coraline's picture to all of the security people--they're reliable—they'll see her if she comes near the office."
Mick nodded and shook his hand. "Thanks, man. I know you'll take all the precautions you need to keep her safe."
"You can count on it." Ben nodded at Beth. "I'll see you tomorrow then. Enjoy the rest of your day."
Mick put a call in to the security people to have reinforcements installed on all of the windows and to make the balcony entrance inaccessible to anyone outside unless they knew the code to enter. He wanted heavier locks and more cameras hidden around the building, inside and out. Completing his business, it was now time for pleasure!
It was relaxing to be at the stove making breakfast again. He and Beth talked about Josef and Sarah.
"If Coraline doesn't show up, Josef isn't going to get his wish, is he?"
"I'd hate to be Coraline if she doesn't come through! After all, we could have just as well left her in that hole to rot! It's really important to Josef to get the cure, and that's the ONLY reason I let her out of the restraints. Believe me, I'd have been more than happy to leave her down there!"
"Josef must understand how hard it was for you to let her loose."
"Oh, he knows. He put the fear of death in her, but she's so unstable that she might not take him seriously. Maybe she doesn't know him like I do. I hope she does—if she does, she knows he won't hesitate to kill her!"
"I wish we didn't have to worry about her any more, Mick. I just want to be happy and look forward to the baby and not be afraid all of the time. Now--I'm not so afraid you'll be taken again anytime soon, but I sure am afraid of what Coraline will do once she finds out I'm pregnant! She'll certainly want to kill me then!"
"Oh, honey! Put it out of your mind! Let's go about life as normal! There are so many people looking for her right now that she's probably back in Europe hiding."
Beth sighed. "I sure hope so! I mean, I'd be happy for Josef if he could have the child he wants so much, but I sure don't want to hear she's anywhere near us!"
"I know," Mick said placing a steaming ham and cheese omelet in front of Beth. "We'll just have to see what happens, but you have to trust me to look out for you. I'd never let you get hurt."
--
The week passed uneventfully, and work was actually helping Beth pass the time she would normally spend worrying. Mick had several cases to investigate, and tried to be around in the evenings after he brought Beth home from her office, staying with her until she was asleep, then working as much during the night hours as he could. He had to admit, he did miss having Beth along on some of his cases, even though he had always been one to work alone! Her mind was quick and agile, and he enjoyed the insights she brought to cases where he was stumped. She didn't mind legwork, and could do that better in daylight hours than he could. He was tempted to make her a job offer and wondered if she'd take him up on it.
Saturday, September 6. At dawn, Mick showered as usual and slipped into bed with Beth, snuggling up behind her, putting his hand on her belly, which had literally popped overnight a few days ago. She now looked, as she said, "pregnant instead of just fat." Of course to him she didn't look anything but beautiful, but the belly was definitely making itself known. She was at sixteen weeks, and he hoped the ultrasound would be done soon. He was very eager to see the baby!
She placed her hand over his, still sleeping, but it was the familiar position they took up every morning. He was perfectly still and perfectly contented, listening to her breathing, listening to her heart beating at about half the rate of the baby's heartbeat, which grew stronger by the day. She moved only slightly, sighing and pushing her bottom into the little space near his groin where her butt seem to fit perfectly. He immediately felt himself growing rigid from the contact and tried to distract his brain by thinking about work.
Her shoulders shook as she giggled. "Somebody has a woody!"
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "And somebody put her butt right there to give me one!"
"Sorry, but where you're concerned, I just can't always be a good girl."
He grabbed her around the waist and turned her to him, looking at her sleep-glazed eyes. "I'm so thankful you're bad sometimes." He smiled and she smiled back.
"I'm really getting pretty big here! How can you still want to, ah, do it with a fatty like me?"
He jumped on top of her and pinned her down onto her back, his hands on her hands, his body covering hers. "Sweetie, I don't care if you weighed four hundred pounds, I'd still want to have my way with you."
"Oh really! I could crush you if I were that big!"
"I doubt it, but go ahead and try." He lay on top of her, his face an inch from hers. He was pressing on her bladder a little, but the urge to pee had gotten somewhat better with the sixteen-week mark. His lovely body pressed against hers in a comfortable, yet sexually arousing way, and she contemplated turning the tables on him, flipping him onto his back and straddling him, having HER way with him! As she was thinking of doing that, she felt something flutter inside of her and she inhaled sharply. He started to get off of her, but she put her hand on his arm to hold him there.
"I can feel the baby moving, Mick!" They both were very still, and she felt it again. The tiny butterfly wings were tickling the inside of her womb! "It's swimming around in me and I can feel it Mick! Our baby!"
"Oh, honey! That's beautiful!" He smiled tenderly and smoothed her hair back, watching her face react every time she felt movement.
"It's probably because you're pressing down on me—I've never felt it before! I've been waiting and waiting!"
"I'm ecstatically happy! I love you! You are the BEST mommy!"
His eyes stared straight into hers and they glowed with happiness.
She pulled his head to hers and kissed him. "I need to get up and pee and brush my teeth, and then I want to come back and have you show me exactly how you put this baby in my belly."
"Hey, that's a deal! Hurry up!"
--
She sped off to the bathroom and Mick rolled onto his back. This life he was living was an absolute miracle, and he almost pinched himself every day wondering if it was all a dream.
Dr. Mineo was happy to see them again when they came in for Beth's next appointment.
"How is my miracle baby doing! Hi Mick!" he shook Mick's hand. "Hello Beth! It's great to see you! So tell me how things are going!"
They each sat in a comfy chair in front of his desk and looked at each other and broke into huge smiles.
"I can feel the baby moving!" Beth's eyes told him how excited she was.
"Excellent! Right on time! Maybe even a tiny bit early for a first pregnancy! Tell me about it—when did you first feel it move?"
They looked at each other again and laughed, fidgeting in their chairs like kids in the principal's office, and their mirth caused Dr. Mineo to start laughing too. Beth blushed slightly as she said, "Well, it was about a week ago, early in the morning, and he—" she nodded at Mick, who wore a devilish grin, "was lying on top of me, and I think the pressure from his weight probably helped me feel it. Since then, now that I know how it feels, I've been aware of it mostly at night, when we're sitting and watching TV or talking. When I'm just quiet, it seems to want to say hello."
"I'm thrilled for you! It's a wonderful thing—and soon—the baby will be big enough for you to feel too, Daddy! Just you wait!"
"I can hardly wait! I'm just happy Beth can feel it for now—it makes it even more real."
"Well of course it does! Every week now will probably make it seem more real. Up to now, you kind of had to take my word on it, right?" He looked at Beth, and she was nodding. "Now—you have your own evidence!"
"Exactly, doctor." Mick looked at him earnestly and said, "I've been really eager for that ultrasound too. I was wondering if you were going to schedule that soon."
"I think we can schedule it for this week if you like! After I've done my exam here, I'll have you stop at the desk and set that up, okay?"
Mick leaned back in his chair. "That's great, doctor. Thanks."
"Any concerns? Questions?"
They both shook their heads no, but then Mick held up his hand and said, "Just one, Doctor—will the sex of the baby be evident on the ultrasound?"
"It might be—you may ask the tech to look for you, if you like. . .you already know the sex, though, don't you?"
Mick looked at Beth, who had her mouth in an "O" of surprise. "I do, but I wondered if Beth could find out."
"Maybe I don't want to know yet, Mick! And why didn't you tell me you knew?"
"I thought maybe you'd find out soon on the ultrasound anyway—no point getting you all mad at me."
"I'm not mad! I just. . ."
"Beth, he's a vampire. He can tell from the way you smell. It's no big deal—you can choose to know or not. He can't help what he knows." Dr. Mineo was matter-of-fact, and Beth couldn't argue. Vampires! Was there anything he didn't know?
She looked at Mick sideways. "I guess."
"You think about it and decide—or let your husband tell you. Some couples like to know—some don't."
"Thank you, Doctor." Mick said with only a slight hint of irritation in his voice.
"Okay then! Let's see how you're coming along!" He hit a buzzer and a nurse appeared. She motioned Beth into the exam room. Mick shook the doctor's hand once more and headed for the waiting room. At the end of the exam, they saw the doctor one more time, and he assured Mick that everything was going just perfectly.
They set up the ultrasound for Friday afternoon. Beth would leave work a little early, and Mick would bring her to the hospital. They walked to the car with Mick's arm around her. He thought she looked so cute in her knit top that was getting tight over her tummy. He wanted to touch it, but thought better of that in a public place.
Mick opened the car door for her, then got in behind the wheel. "A good appointment calls for celebrating, wouldn't you say?"
"Hmmmm. Muzzo's?"
"I was thinking maybe—Spago?"
"I always love that!"
"Deal." He pulled out and headed for a relaxing evening with his lovely wife and child. What a trip! A wife and child! Sometimes it still was hard to get it through his head that he was living the life most human men would die for. The odd thing was, he wasn't human, and he wouldn't die.
"You're thinking loudly again," she said.
"I didn't mean to do that! I was just thinking how I have everything I've ever wanted, and I'm not even human. I always thought I could never be happy as a vampire, and here I am—I must be the happiest vampire on earth! I'm probably happier than any man on earth!"
"Would you ever want to be human again Mick? I mean more than just temporarily?"
"I've thought about that, and now—I'm not sure. I've kind of made my peace with what I am since I've been with you, but I still sometimes feel the old regret wash over me. It's been a very long, tough journey to feel this degree of—acceptance, I guess I could say--and it really is due to you." The look he gave her was grateful and full of love.
"And you were so afraid to get involved with a human!"
"Yeah, how stupid was that?"
"Well, how could you know it would turn out this way? I mean, when you were afraid to get involved with me, you were probably thinking I'd be really bad in bed. . ."
"Now that's one thing I NEVER thought, and you know that!" He gave her that sideways smile that always made her stomach flip. He still did that to her! He was just so hot! AND he was hers! Amazing! She smiled really broadly, which made him laugh.
"Hah! I know you were thinking that! Otherwise, you'd have jumped me when I was high on B.C.!"
He was still laughing. "I'd have never done that! You think I'd jump you when you were that out of it? I'm not a total jerk!"
"Well, I'd have had no complaints, I'm sure. Maybe it would have been a good time to do it—with me kind of vamped up!"
He thought a second. "I never actually considered that, but you might be right. Maybe I should have given you some of that before I had sex with you the first time!"
"Well, I'm glad you didn't so I could be completely conscious! I'd never want to forget that night!"
"Yeah, that was pretty special. The beginning of my life." His hand slid over and she put hers in his. "Remember that day when I asked you if you'd want to have my baby? And you said something like we hadn't even slept with each other and it might not be any good?"
Beth laughed. "Yeah, who knew?"
"I did!"
"You did NOT! How could you possibly know we'd be good together?"
"I just knew. I figured the way I felt about you, and the way I thought you felt about me, well, if we ever did finally get to making love, we'd probably set the sheets on fire!"
"Well, you were right. I'm tired of having to buy new sheets all of the time because they have so many scorched out places!"
They were both laughing as they pulled up to the valet, who let Beth out and shut her door. Mick came over and handed him his keys and took the ticket from the young man's hand.
"Hey, thanks, man. See you in a few." The valet watched them walk away and felt a tug in his heart. That's what he wanted someday! Mick put his arm around Beth's back and they walked into the restaurant.
Mick nursed his Scotch while Beth devoured her dinner. She sure was hungry all of the time!
"I love to watch you eat," he said, his eyes sparkling in the candlelight.
"You should be really tired of it by now, Mick!" she said, smiling and raising her eyebrows.
"No, I never get tired of it. Like I told you, it's all the little human things you do that are fascinating. I honestly don't think you will ever bore me." She laughed out loud. "NO! I'm sure of it! I love everything about you." He picked up his glass and so did she.
"To not being bored?" she said, looking at him for confirmation.
"To us, and to having everything, right here and now."
They sipped, eyes locked, and their surroundings faded out. For a moment it was only the two of them. A busboy refilling the water broke the spell.
"Well," Beth said, sighing as she took another forkful of her linguini, "I'm so glad to hear that you don't think I'll be boring because I plan on staying in your life forever."
Mick looked down into his drink. "Forever." He looked up at her wistfully. "I hope we can find forever, Beth."
"We will."
--
As Beth got ready for bed that night, she heard Mick playing his guitar over on the sofa by the fireplace. He was singing a haunting tune that was beautiful. She came out in her tee shirt and underwear and sat beside him, listening as he played and sang. He stopped for a moment, then started singing another verse as he looked into her eyes.
"I'm thirty-three for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
A kid on the way
A family on my mind. . .
I'm forty-five for a moment
The sun is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life. . .
Fifteen I'm all right with you
Fifteen, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live."
He stopped and looked at her with an odd look on his face.
"I love that song," she said, "Five for Fighting, isn't it? I like the way you sing it too—in a lower register—it melts my heart."
He shot her a quick smile. "Yeah. It's called '100 years.'" He got that look on his face that was tender and thoughtful.
"It makes me feel strange, thinking about mortality and chasing the years of your life when you're human, and sometimes I wonder if it makes life seem just so much more precious when you know—you only have 100 years to live?"
"You aren't guaranteed a hundred years any more than I am, Mick. You were almost killed last week!"
"I know, and that experience has made me feel every day so much more intensely than I used to. I think of the life inside of you, and I think of how I felt when I was dying and I thought I'd never see you again and how much that hurt inside! Mortality—that feeling of NOT having forever—it's causing me to look at everything differently. Maybe it's PTSD or something—I'm not sure, but the song just keeps running through my head, and I find myself humming about being fifteen and thirty-three, and one day, ninety-nine, and how I want to be here with you forever."
"I want that too, Mick, more than anything."
He looked at her with a pensive expression that turned to puzzlement. "I think what I'm coming to terms with, honey, is that even if today is all I have with you, it's enough. I've had the gift of you for months now, and if I should have to leave, I'd be devastated, but still I'd have to be thankful for having had today. If today was all we ever had, Beth--it's so much more than anyone else ever gets!"
He watched her nod, understanding, tears rolling down her cheeks. She squeezed his hand. "You're right. Mick—you are so right."
"So, let's live forever, huh?"
She nodded again, now laughing through her tears. "That's good for me! Now, keep singing. I love to hear you sing."
He smiled and began again, pulling his hand from hers to play the guitar. He strummed a few bars before singing, and it was beautiful.
"I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are. . ."
He put the guitar down and went to her, kneeling in front of her. She leaned back, knowing what he wanted, and he put his ear on her belly. She stroked his hair while he sang to the baby.
"15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live."
He stayed there, silent, letting her stroke his hair, listening to the heartbeat of their child, wondering how he could ever say good-bye to them. If what he had felt all of these years was true—if being a monster was so terrible—how could he even think of turning Beth? Making her a monster too? And this innocent child! How could he wish for the child to be turned someday? But then, how could he watch them die?
"You're thinking, Mick," she said softly, still stroking his hair lovingly.
"I know. Beth, I'm thinking—I don't know if I could turn you—I don't know if I could ever turn our son or daughter into what I am. I thought I could turn you, but you're a mother now! How can I make you a vampire when you're nurturing our child? The past few days it's been eating away at my sanity! I want you to be with me always, yet if forever means turning you. . ."
"Don't think about it, Mick. Let's take this a day at a time. You'll figure out what's right, and you don't need to feel any rush about it. I'm still young! Maybe when I'm forty I'll feel different, but by then, this baby will be—twelve or so! We can decide later!"
"I know. You're right. But 100 years doesn't seem long enough to live with you."
She continued to stroke his hair, run her hand over his cheek, rub his forehead, his ears, loving the beauty of him and the sweetness he brought to her life. Still, as she massaged his forehead, she noticed the tension there. "What is it, Mick?
You're in turmoil over turning me? Honey, don't. . ."
"But I want it all! Beth--I want forever, but I also want humanity, and I can't have both."
"No, you can't. Mick—give this time. You just went through a horrible experience, and you have to let your mind heal before you try to make any major decisions." He pulled up her top and kissed her little belly bulge.
"I love you so much."
"Is that me or the baby you're saying that to?" She felt his breath on her tummy as he sighed.
"Both of you, of course. But mostly you—you understand, and even better, I know you love me back."
"You're right about that one--let's go to bed and pretend we'll be this way forever."
He raised his head to look at her. "That's a dream I can dream forever." He stood up, leaned over and picked her up. This dilemma had him tied in knots, but she was right—it didn't need to be decided soon, and for now, all he wanted was to make love to her—for a hundred years, if possible!
Afterward, as they snuggled close, Beth held his hand, the one draped over her, and moved his wedding band back and forth as she mindlessly played with his fingers.
"I can't get over you, Mick—you're such a constant surprise to me."
"What part?" he asked her softly.
"How you could deny yourself intimacy for so long, and then we get together and you're the perfect lover—so sweet and tender, and so passionate! And what you've done to ME! I'm changed forever--I can never get enough of you!"
"I know. It's just us together, Beth. I'm this way because of you, and vice versa. We'll never understand it, I don't think. I only know we have something nobody else has ever had."
"You think so?"
"I know so. I love you more every second you live."
"Same with me, Mick. Every second."
--
It was three in the morning, and Josef was watching the market in Tokyo. Sarah was sound asleep. The doorbell rang, and he looked on the monitor. Surprised, he pushed the elevator button to allow his visitor entrance. She stepped into his house looking as gorgeous as ever, white skin glowing against her black dress and coat.
"Hi Josef. I hope I didn't interrupt anything." She thought he looked attractive in his casual knits. She had mostly seen him in suits and ties.
"Not a thing. Actually, I'm very glad to see you, Coraline."
--
**Author's note: If you'd like to see a video of Mick's song, click on the link below:
(Okay--apparently you can't post a link here, but the song is "100 Years" by Five for Fighting, and it's beautiful. It's also on my story over at , and it has the link in the chapter.)
Let me know what you think--Mick is struggling with the human/immortal issue! --suz